Star 2.0

In eight seasons of
Food Network Star, the stakes have never been higher as network icons Alton, Giada and Bobby meet in an empty loft space to introduce their teams. They're all smiles now, but only one of these competitive mentors will coach a new Star to victory.

Game Time

The meet and greet ends quickly once Robert Irvine arrives on the scene. That could only mean one thing: The finalists' first challenge is to open a restaurant from the ground up,
Restaurant: Impossible-style.

Southern Comfort

All five members of Team Alton have a tie to the South, like their mentor, so a Southern theme is an obvious choice for their restaurant. When it comes to planning the menu, though, the decisions aren't as easy.

Kitchen Confidence

Team Bobby has the most restaurant experience and they're confident that they'll win this challenge. But Eric might not be able to pull off his ambitious "hand-crafted" lasagna, for which he makes both pasta and fresh ricotta from scratch.

Meet the Network

The sight of Food Network executives Susie Fogelson and Bob Tuschman along with Robert Irvine raises anxiety levels among the finalists, especially when they learn they'll be doing a two-minute presentation before opening their restaurants.

Honest Opinions

Alton, Bobby and Giada are all friends, but they're also competitors and give honest feedback on each team's restaurant. When Giada asks what Alton thinks of Linkie's key lime pie, he responds: "Cafeteria."

Front-Runners

"Bobby, you have more restaurants than anyone at the table. We're expecting to be blown away," warns Alton when the judges visit his team's restaurant, The Tasting Space. In the end, Team Bobby does deliver on their cooking chops and they take the first win of the season. That means the entire team is safe from elimination, and they're ecstatic.

Mixed Emotions

Linkie is relieved that despite her too-sweet Key lime pie, she's not up for elimination. Josh, with his odd nori dumpling soup and inconsistent presentations, is the one on the bottom from Team Giada.

Last Shot

Over on Team Alton, Cristie learns that she will face off against Josh in the Producers' Challenge for a chance to stay in the competition. "Your passion for healthy food is a wonderful thing and very timely. That dish didn't reflect you or your POV and came off defensive and somewhat joyless," Susie explained.

Make It Personal

Cristie and Josh are challenged to make a dish for Mother's Day brunch and present it on camera. Cristie struggles to think of a story to go with her dish, but suddenly a light bulb goes off when she remembers that her brother returned from Iraq on Mother's Day.

One Take

"My strategy is to show Bob and Susie that I'm not that angry person. Alton is super relaxed, but I get as nervous as can be," says Cristie. She only gets one take in front of the camera, but Alton assures her that it will be plenty.

Gracious Exit

In the end, Cristie is the first to go. "I got confused and you lost me at the end," says Bob. "I don't see the joy and the excitement that will excite an entire nation to eat healthy." She keeps her composure and thanks them for the "amazing experience."